Heart Full of Love
by Hae Dal
Summary: Life is never dull at the Uchiha household.
1. A shock home coming

_So hello, this is my first ever post of a fanfic, I hope people will like it. Just a little something to show how life is never dull in the Uchiha house._

"I hate you! And I hate being an Uchiha! Why can't I look more like mum!?"

This was the greeting Sasuke Uchiha, dark Hokage, keeper of the Rinnengan, was greeted with when he came home from work that evening.

What he had been expecting was a distracted "Yo" from his oldest son who was too engrossed in his poison notes, "welcome back Papa" from his may or may not be present oldest daughter, his youngest son tripping over his feet to show his father his latest top score in an academy test if there was one that day and a beaming smile from his youngest child as she looks up from some medical tome she had begged her mother to lend her. Whatever he had been expecting as his welcome, it was definitely not this.

His whole body stood still in shock as he watched his youngest daughter storm out from sight, her twin brother, Kawauso, her sister Sarada and her mother all just as shaken.

"I. . . Am home?" Sasuke said to the surprisingly empty space, Ren was, as usual, unperturbed by the outburst, he was at that age Sasuke remembered well, lots of grunting and sighing and reading. Sarada was old enough to have her own place. . . Next door to his and his wife. Where he could keep an eye on that Loser's son Boruto.

But coming home to the craziness of the house, his poor wife-

"Welcome home, dear." Sakura replied, in that soft way he liked. "Dinner is almost ready, would you like me to pour you a drink?"

"Me too mum!" Sarada piped up going to her father and giving him a hug.

"Ah." Sasuke replied smiling just a tiny bit.

Sakura gave a groan. "Don't you have drinks at your own place?" She teased.

"Yeah, but I don't get to see you all as often as I like to." Sarada replied a little pouty. "With so many missions and stuff."

"And dates with Boruto, the loser." Ren huffed turning the page of the book he was reading.

"Hey!" Sarada snarled. "That's my boyfriend!"

"Pretty crap taste." Ren replied. "Ow!" He cried when he got a tomato to the face. "That's so childish! I'm younger than you, you know!"

Sasuke shook his head and sat at the table. How did Sakura do it while he was away?

Nikko slammed the door to the bathroom and pouted at the mirror, her mind flashed back to school that morning. The unwanted Uchiha! That's what the kids said to her!

_Being so unwanted the least you could do is look more like your mother! _One of the kids taunted. It wasn't true! She was wanted! Her Mama and her Papa had told her how much they love her and her brother. They don't lie. Her Papa doesn't lie and her Mama definitely doesn't lie.

She was a surprise. A lovely, heartwarming surprise. That's what her mother always said. Kawauso was a shock. They hadn't planned on any more babies after Ren, so the fact it became twins was a heart attack.

"Nikko!" Kawauso called from the other side of the bathroom door, banging hard on it. "Nikko come on! Open the door!"

"NO!" Nikko replied pulling the extra side vanity to the door to keep it closed. Then she spotted it. Her mother's hair dye. Well. . .Not her mothers. . .But she was the only one allowed to use it because she didn't want them hurting themselves. They'd dressed up as flowers for Halloween last year and they still had left overs. . . A thought popped into her head as she tuned out more of her brother's insistent banging on the door.

Kawauso put his ear to the door. His sister had stopped making noise so he knew the crying would happen soon. He'd seen his father's hurt look so he knew he'd have to go explain. He thought their mum would have already known, since he'd decked the kid, but she seemed to be feigning ignorance. That wasn't like her at all. "Kawauso! Nikko! Dinner!" Sakura called.

"Coming Mama!" Kawauso replied and rushed down to the dinner table.

"Is Nikko in the bathroom again?" Ren asked as he sat down. "What is it this time?" He glared at his little brother. "Who do I have to beat up?"

"Ren!" Sakura gasped. "We talked about this!"

Sasuke blinked a little at them all. "Hm?" He asked looking around at his family, Sarada seemed unaware. But Ren and Sakura knew.

"People tease Nikko at school." Kawauso replied with a sigh. "They keep saying she's the unwanted Uchiha and that no one really loves her."

Ren slammed his bowl on the table, shocking his parents. Sakura gave him a disapproving look and Sasuke raised an eyebrow.

Ren blushed at his outburst as Sakura patiently served Sasuke with a sigh. They had gone over this already. But children were cruel and sometimes Nikko was too sensitive to see reason.

"She knows it's not true, right?", Sasuke asked with concern. He could never be sure if his socially inept self had ever done parenting right.

Ren turned to his father. "It's why I kept getting into trouble father." He explained. "I. . .I also intercepted a message for you guys. . .About today."

"Huh?" Sakura frowned joining them at the table, having finally put down the last dish. "What do you mean? What message?"

"I beat them up." Kawauso replied. "They kept saying we were unwanted! That you hate us! And, and that stupid Boruto was walking by and heard and he didn't do anything!"

Sarada blinked. "Wait. . .Boruto?" She asked. "When? Where?!"

Kawauso looked away from his sister. "Like I'd tell you!" He snapped. "You'll just take his side!"

"Enough!" Sakura said in a stern voice. "I'll go get Nikko. She should be down here for dinner like all of us, she shouldn't- oh my god."

Everyone stopped, time stood still as the rest of the family turned to see what had gotten matriarch of the house so shell shocked.

Nikko stood at the bottom of the stairs, her hair not only a mess, but dyed a horrible shade of pink. She stood, on shaking legs, her skin and tunic splotched with the dye.

"What have you done?!" Sarada cried for them all. Nikko's eyes welled with tears.

"I just want to look like Mama!" She cried and rushed back out of sight.

"Nikko!" Sakura called with concern. "I'll handle this."

"No." Sasuke replied. "I got it." He stood and gave each of his children a ruffle of their hair as he left the main rooms and headed for Nikko's. He did a double take at the smell of bleach and dye. "Hn." He grunted covering his nose and closed the door to lessen the smell in the house.

A soft sound of cry pulled his attention from the bathroom and back toward Nikko's room. He and Sakura talked most nights they weren't exhausted, about the twins mainly. And about how proud they were of Sarada and Ren as the two of them seemed to be so over protective of the twins, they seemed to be extra sensitive to the taunts that people gave them about their clan, and occasionally about Sakura. He knocked once. "Nikko." He said listening to her hiccuping and her whimpering.

"Go. . .away." Came a meek response. Sasuke gave a sigh and entered the room anyway.

"Nikko. . ." He knelt down beside her bed and took her hand. The hair dye had bled into her pillow. . .Oh boy, Sakura was going to be mad. Then he took in the state of his daughter. Perhaps not.

"Nikko," He said again, putting his hand on her back. "Nikko, what happened at school today? Why is this so important to you?"

Nikko hiccuped and turned her face to her papa. Almost a spitting image of his mother, but with hints of Sakura, the set of her eyes and her nose the most. "They said mama wasn't a real Uchiha," She said eventually, once she got her breath back.

Already Sasuke could feel that familiar vein in his temple throb at the mention of his wife's Clan status. "And that was what made your brother lash out?"

"No." Nikko replied.

"Ah." Sasuke replied, frowning.

"They said. . .you don't come home much because we look too much like Uncle Itachi." Nikko continued in the silence. "That you hate us because of it, and that if we looked more like mum. . ." She turned back into the pillow.

Sasuke could feel his own rage building, disgusting children. "Hn." He sniffed.

Nikko turned back. "You. . .You don't hate us?" She got up and sat on her knees.

Sasuke looked at his child tenderly and pulled her close.

"No." He stated firmly. "I work to keep you safe, Nikko. I can't come home all the time because I want to make sure that no one can hurt your Mama or Sarada or …"

"Even Nii-san and Kawauso?" She asked abruptly with wobbly lips. He felt the hair dye drip onto his hand and seep into his glove. Ick. "Ah, even Ren and Kawauso," he agreed fondly before adding "And your mother is definitely an Uchiha." sternly, pulling back from the hug. He remembered having this conversation years ago with Sarada. Of course Nikko's extreme was tamer to Sarada's. Nikko had yet to reach the age of a temperamental teenager. Sarada, at that time, had vaguely resembled that other personality of his wife, Inner Sakura as his wife liked to call it, he had only heard about this personality but had never really witnessed it. How he wished his sunshine would stay this innocent forever, untainted by the world.

"And even though Kawauso and I were a surprise. . . You love us right?" She asked again with sniffle.

Sasuke smiled and poked her forehead. "Of course I do." He assured her. Her skin was becoming stained with the dye. "Come on, lets get your mother to fix this up,"

"Will she get upset about the pillow?" Nikko asked turning to look at the mess she had made.

"Maybe." Sasuke replied, taking her in his arms and carrying her down stairs. "Sakura." He said when he entered the main rooms.

"I put some food aside for you and Nikko to eat. Are we okay- oh my gosh it's gotten worse." Sakura waffled on rushing over. "Come on, let's get you both cleaned up then we'll work on the floor." Sasuke nodded turning to go up to the bathroom with his wife and youngest child.

"We got it mum." Ren said pulling Kawauso over from the kitchen, where they'd been helping Sarada clean up after dinner.

"I need a new pillow. . ." Nikko blushed. Sakura groaned.

"We'll fix that tomorrow. For now why don't we just fix your hair back to its normal colour-"

"NO!" Nikko replied. "No I want to look like mum!"

"Is her nose not enough?" Ren commented watching as Nikko grabbed it to hide it.

Sakura and Sasuke shared a smile. "I want to keep my hair."

"Ah." Sasuke replied with a slight amused tone.

Sakura blushed darkly and nodded. "Outnumbered." She capitulated. "Okay," Perhaps they'd get lucky and it would be a phase.  
"Mum~" Ren cried from the bottom of the stairs.

"Yes, Ren?" Sakura asked before opening the door, being greeted with a waft of bleach. She and Nikko gave out a cough.

"Where are the cleaning products again?" came Ren's question which was quickly followed by an outcry of. "Ah No Kawauso! Don't get on the table!"

Sakura shook her head. "Sarada will help them. We have to fix this before it stains your clothes forever." She said to Nikko.

"I'll supervise them." Sasuke interjected hoping that Nikko would get some reassurances from her mother too.

"I love you, Mama." Nikko claimed with all the ferocity of an eight year old as Sakura fixed up her hair and her skin. It was a little red from the bleach so Sakura was also healing it as she went.

Sakura looked at her youngest with a soft expression and smiled. She could clearly remember how painstakingly meticulous she had been while she chose the name for her children. Sasuke had not been home yet but she still knew him like the back of her hand. In those long sleepless nights they had spent on their travel together, Sasuke had opened up to her. And one of the subjects had been children. Sasuke had expressed his mixed feelings about naming their child, preferably a son if they ever had one, after his late brother who sacrificed his own life for others. Specially for Sasuke himself. But he also had doubts on the matter if it was a good choice.

The name 'Itachi' came with heavy burdens. Some will see the name as prodigious and presumably compare the second Itachi's accomplishment with the first one. And some would be appalled at the thought that they named a child after a mass murderer. In any event, this would be an injustice to their child. Sakura had not forgotten that. So she had gone through quite a few books on baby names to find one which would honor her late brother-in-law in a subtle way. And Ren had found the name "Kawauso".  
But the biggest surprise was their daughter. None of sonogram or blood reports had shown the second child in her womb. It turned out the twins wanted to surprise them some more and Kawauso had been hiding his sister from everyone. Tsunade and Shizune were shocked at first but had been happy nonetheless.  
And when exhausted Sakura saw the wrinkly baby bringing a watery smile on her recently returned husband's face, she knew her youngest would become the sunshine of their lives.

"I love you too, Nikko." Sakura insisted. "Your papa and I love you so much, just like Sarada and Kawauso and Ren do, that's why it hurts us when you're sad, we miss our sunshine."

Nikko nodded a little. Sakura knew her face. She was thinking more. Unlike Sarada and Ren, who seemed to appear to understand everything, Nikko and Kawauso seemed to need more reassurance when it came to their father.

"There, all cleaned up." Sakura beamed giving Nikko a hug. "Tomorrow, if you like, I can teach you a transformation jutsu so you don't need to dye it."

"Really?!" Nikko asked.

"Yes." Sakura cooed. "But right now, it's bedtime, Kawauso needs to clean himself up for bed too."

Nikko nodded and toddled off to her bedroom to change herself into a fresh set of pajamas with a bright smile on her face. Sasuke passed her as he brought the dirty linen from her room to the laundry in a basket. "That's much better." He commented.

"Oh?" Sakura cooed at her husband, smirking just a tiny bit. "Were you worried your talk wouldn't work?" She asked, her voice still holding a tease.

"Hn." He said turning away and walking downstairs to the laundry.

"Mama!" Ren huffed coming into the bathroom to wash his hands. "Kawauso and I finished cleaning the spots of the floor that Nikko dripped the hair dye on."

Sakura smiled kindly and hugged her son tight.

"Ah! Mama, Squishing." Ren protested.

"Oh! I'm sorry." Sakura pulled back a little embarrassed. "I just feel so blessed to have you all in my life."

"Mama." Ren rolled his eyes. Sometimes he was just like his father, a little reluctant to accept affection, or exasperated when she showed him too much. "Oh, I already got Kawauso ready for bed using your bathroom, dad said it was okay. He's just waiting for you."

"Ah~" Sakura whined. "Aren't you all too old for me to tuck you in?" She asked before leaving the bathroom.


	2. Chapter 2

Sasuke woke the next morning to what he was sure was the sound of animals thundering through his house. He went to rub his eyes and cringed at the faint smell of bleach that still tainted his skin. Ick. It took him a moment to remember why. "Nikko." He huffed with a small smile on his lips.

"Mama! Ren stole my drink!" Kawauso's voice shrieked from the dining room.

"I did not!" Ren's voice followed. Sasuke groaned with exasperation. Then he felt the first rumble. He sprang up like a bullet and quickly threw on a pair of pants and a shirt, ready to break up whatever brawl had started in his house. He had to be a united front with Sakura.

"OW!" Ren roared. "Mum! He Bit me!"

"Kawauso! Kawauso let your brother go!" Sakura cried.

"No! He stole my drink!" Kawauso replied his hands both gripping a tuft of his brother's hair and his shirt, with Sakura pulling him away by his waist.

Nikko was low key curled in the corner eating her rice while watching the scene play out.

"Enough." Sasuke's voice broke through the fight.

"Anata!" Sakura cooed pulling away first. "You're awake!"

"Who can sleep with the fifth ninja war in their own house?" Sasuke snipped back giving his wife a sneaky tap on the behind as he went to get a drink from the fridge.

Sakura blushed darkly and grinned into her hand.

He sat down with his drink, sipping it slow, and without a word. When his two unruly sons began to growl again, he opened his eyes to glare at them. Ren noticed the change first and settled to his spot at the table. Kawauso made a face and sat as well. "Nikko." Sasuke said after another sip of his drink.

Nikko looked up from her corner and brought her bowl back to the table and sat down next to her father. Sakura sat down next and started on hers, after a long moment Sasuke gave a nod. "Hn." He smiled small. "Better."

"Once we're all finished can you all help me clean up?" Sakura asked the children. When the boys began to moan, Sasuke put his cup down and smiled at his wife.

"Ah." He replied. "We will help."

Nikko gasped. "I can't!" She said. "Nee-chan said she was going to teach me something!"

Sakura beamed, it was wonderful to see Sarada spending time with her siblings. While she was a doting older sister to her siblings who wanted to help them with everything she could, her jonin status and position as Hokage's apprentice hardly left her with any time to spend with her siblings. So when the chance was provided, it was usually milked to the fullest. "Then once you're finished, wash your face before you go. And be safe, okay?"

"Yes mama!" Nikko replied then beamed up at her father.

""Hey! How come she gets to leave?!" Ren asked, his tone offended.

"Because she didn't make a mess of the kitchen and this room." Sakura replied, her tone sharp. "And you woke up your father too early! You know he likes to sleep in on nights where he comes home later than normal!"

"Forgot that old people needed more sleep" Ren gave a smug smirk to his father who scowled in return. Kawauso snickered in the background, trying not to choke on his juice. Sakura shook her head in exasperation and turned her focus to her youngest daughter.

Nikko left the table and put her bowl in the sink before she went to her father and tapped his arm. "I'm going now papa." She said smiling brightly up at him.

"Ah." He said and poked her forehead. "I'll see you soon."

Nikko beamed and went to her mother and gave her a hug. "Bye mama!"

Sakura held her daughter close and kissed her cheek. "Be safe."

"I will." Nikko chirped. "Bye!" She waved at them then rushed to the front door and put her shoes on before rushing to meet Sarada at a lake. Why she wanted to meet there, Nikko wasn't sure, but she liked the water. It was strangely calm to her.

"Nikko." Sarada's voice jolted her out of her daze.

Sarada was so tall! Nikko hoped she would be that tall one day. "Nee-chan!" She cried and jumped at her sister, who was standing out by the pier that jutted into the water of the lake. Sarada grabbed the hyper girl and twirled her around while Nikko shreaked in delight. "Why did we meet here?" She asked after Sarada gave her the usual forehead poke as a greeting.

"I'm going to teach you a jutsu that papa taught me. I want you to surprise him." Sarada explained mischievously.

"Can't you keep teaching me the one mama taught you?" Nikko asked. "The one where we can punch really strong?"

Sarada gave a sigh. "Later, I promise. But this one is equally important. It's the signature technique of our Uchiha clan." She continued. "I promise once you get this down you'll be able to use mama's ability a lot easier."

Nikko gave a pout, she wasn't convinced but she supposed Sarada was the older sister, perhaps she knew best? And she did say it was their clan's technique. Learning it can not be bad. Sarada put her sister down and then showed her the stance that made performing jutsu safe for the moment. There was a good reason as to why their clan's signature technique was practiced over a large body of water. DANGEROUS with all caps. If not learned in safety.

"Ready?" Sarada asked. "I'll show you the hand seals first, then once you have the hang of it we'll move on to the next step." She began with serpent, tiger, boar, horse, then tiger and produced the fireball over the lake.

Nikko started at it with her eyes widened. "So big." She breathed, amazed beyond explanation. Though it was not her first time seeing her clan's famous Fire technique, this was the first time she had seen it up close and in detail. Sarada repeated it two more times and in slow motion so that Nikko could get the hang of it. Nikko watched it from the start, right up to Sarada's deep breaths and nodded. Determination was set in her eyes and she made the seals, faster, and faster, until she felt pressure in her belly and chest then took a deep breath.

"_Katon! Goukakyuu no jutsu!" _Nikko cried pushing as much force out of her belly as possible, only to get a small 'ppft' and a fireball the size of her fist.

"Not bad for your first try Nikko." Sarada praised. No way in hell she was going to tell her baby sister that her own first fireball had been the size of a beach ball. It was crucial that her confidence did not shake.

"Again!" Nikko snapped in response. Sarada blinked.

"Okay," She replied. "One more time." She supervised again as Nikko made the seals and took her breath before letting out another, fist sized ball.

"Again!" Nikko shouted.

"Nikko, enough!" Sarada insisted. "This Jutsu consumes too much of your already small chakra reserve. Mama and Papa will get worried if I bring you back sick!"

"No!" Nikko replied and tried again. This time, the ball was even smaller. "Aah!" Nikko screamed and kicked a sizable chunk of wood out of the pier. Sarada blinked in surprise. Did Nikko just do her version of Cherry blossom impact? She was pulled out of her musing by Nikko's frustrated, "Why can't I do anything?!"

Sarada gave a sigh. "Nikko come here." She waved her back to the grass. Nikko gave a sniff and rushed to her sister, only to be halted by a forehead poke. "Ow!" She whined.

"You forget, you're only a little kid. You'll get it eventually. Just have patience. For now, be happy that you have it at that size, okay?" Sarada ruffled her hair lovingly and gave a smile so reminiscent of their mother that Nikko was immediately soothed. "Come on, let's go get you some ice cream, you're lips are looking raw." Sarada picked her up and carried her up the stairs to the road. "We'll show them once you get it really big, okay?"

Nikko nodded, snuggling in her sister's arms. Maybe she could use it at the size it was to torment the kids who bullied her? She grinned wickedly. Yeah. . .Next time they teased her or her mama, they were going to see how much of Uchiha she really was...


	3. Chapter 3

Nikko came home after lunch with Sarada. Kawauso was already at Kaoru's house. And Ren was obviously out on a mission and would be gone for about a week, maybe more if he didn't get too excited. She was about to call out to her mother and father when she saw a note in the usual spot and went to see what it was.

_Nikko,_

_Your papa and I have gone out for lunch with Naruto. I left you something in the fridge in case you're hungry._

_I hope you had a good time with Sarada. I can't wait to hear all about it when I come home. _

_Xoxo Mama_

Nikko rubbed her eyes, she always cried when her mama left notes. She still wasn't sure if it was out of love or loneliness or both. She looked at the time, and went over the intel she had gathered so far. Sarada said she was off training with her icky boyfriend, her parents were out as were her brothers. That means empty house and no one to breathe down her neck.

"Yes." She thought. "I can practice and no one can stop me!" She quickly went to the kitchen and wrapped up the sandwiches her mother had made her as well as the rice balls with tomato flakes that she liked, (that was totally tasty, Sara-nee is a liar) and ran back out to the lake. The spot she had pummeled was magically fixed. Strange. That was of no matter to her. She'd have to ask Naruto-ji chan when she sees him next. But right now, she just had to keep practicing that jutsu!

* * *

Sakura and Sasuke returned home around three in the afternoon, hand in hand. "We're home!" Sakura called into the silence. "Nikko?" She called changing her shoes and went through the house quickly while Sasuke was more lazy in the removal of his shoes. He could hear his wife's gentle footsteps on their floorboards around the house, calling their sunshine's name. He frowned a little. He didn't think Nikko would ignore them. Not after yesterday. He put his feet back into his shoes as Sakura's brisk pace grew closer to him.

"Sasuke!" She came back changing her shoes back into her out of house shoes. "Nikko isn't here!" She sounded annoyed. "There's no note, I've told her a hundred times to leave me a note if she's not gonna be where she is supposed to be and her food is gone!"

Sasuke gave a sigh and did his shoes back up. "We should go look for her, call Shikamaru and Sarada, see if she is with either of them. Then join me in town."

"Yes, dear." Sakura said going next door to Sarada's apartment while Sasuke left the building to search for their youngest child.

Sasuke searched the whole town, well, everywhere Sakura had told him that his twins liked to frequent. Unlike him and Kawauso, Nikko did like sweets, so he made sure to check every sweet shop in the village. As he felt that strange panic in his gut, the same he felt when Naruto dropped that Sakura was pregnant in the middle of his last mission, he felt his feet move a little faster.

He tried chakra sensing her again, but truth be told, he wasn't that great at it to begin with and Nikko didn't have a large amount of it either. Maybe they should get the kids their own cell phone too. And learned to use it properly himself. Atleast at times like this, he could just call them up instead of fretting like this. Damn it, Kiba was never going to let him live it down.

When Sakura didn't meet him, the dread grew heavier. Had she given up already?! No. No Sakura would never give up! Perhaps she'd enlisted the help of others. While he didn't let it show on the outside, inside he was paper bagging it. Hard. After how she was when he had arrived home last night all upset, so full of insecurities. He was sure they had squashed it down but bullies are relentless. What if they found her alone again and managed to undo all their talk from last night. If that was the case, he was sure she'd gone somewhere to hide, but he just didn't know where, and Sakura not meeting him made him worry. So he went to the only other person he knew who could help him find his little girl. Naruto. At Least the dobe and his _Senjutsu _will be useful at something.

* * *

"What is it teme?" Naruto growled from behind a stack of paper. "I'm busy dattebayo- wheh!?" He grunted as Sasuke yanked Naruto from his chair and out the window. "Hey!? What's all this about!?"

"Stop yelling and help me look!" Sasuke snapped dragging Naruto over rooftops.

After the third one Naruto made them stop. "Look for what?" He asked, his tone insisting. "If you don't tell me now I'm going back to work-"

"Nikko is missing!" Sasuke snapped, shaking, his eyes active. Some would think rage, but Naruto knew better. With a wild look in his eyes, Naruto knew Sasuke was. . . _scared_.

"Nikko?" Naruto breathed. "Right, where have you looked?" He put a calming hand on his best friend's shoulder and sat down. "You didn't have to drag me out like this, you bastard. I'd have tracked her from my office"

Half a minute later, orange hue highlighted the Hokage's eyes as nature's energy filled him and he reached out to get a location on where she was. "Found her." He said, smiling fondly to his best friend. He'd get a kick out of where she was and what she was currently doing while her father fretted about her safety. "I think you should go get her."

"Where?!" Sasuke asked, his tone urgent.

"Your lake." Naruto laughed. "Just like her old man, dattebayo."

"Don't let her hear you say that." Sasuke quipped back and gave a nod leaving Naruto in the dust. Naruto raised a brow. What did he mean with a remark like that?

"Aah man." Naruto whined. "I have to go back to work."

* * *

Sasuke arrived at the lake just as the sun was starting to set. His eyes widened as he watched his daughter make a fireball the size of her head, then get frustrated and throw a rock from a pile she had at her side, into the water. Given some of the damage to the shore of the lake, he reasoned she wanted a less destructive way to handle her frustration. So like her mother.

"Nikko!" He said sternly when he reached the beginning of the pier.

Nikko jerked a little in shock and turned slowly. Sasuke felt all the blood drain from his face, her cheeks, her chin and some of her nose was burned. Sakura was going to throw a fit when she saw, and Sarada was going to get into so much trouble for leaving her sister unsupervised. If she was going to teach her Fireball technique, she should know that it's dangerous to practice unsupervised and Nikko will be too full of eagerness to be left alone for the rest of the day. He and Sakura expected her to look after Nikko the whole day, not just the morning, not only that but Sarada, being the older sibling should have had more sense than to teach such a dangerous, but impressive technique and not keep a closer eye on her impressionable younger sister. Was Dobe and his son rubbing off on his most reliable child? He frowned. Itachi didn't do something like this when Sasuke was young, right? His frown deepened in thought.

No, by this age Itachi had forced their father to pay more attention to Sasuke than him. He thought it through a bit more. Was it supposed to be her subtle hint that he needed to spend time with Nikko more? Was he taking too many shifts at station? No, that couldn't be. Sarada was confrontational, she'd have come at his throat if that was the case. Perhaps Sarada had been called on an urgent mission and couldn't find someone for Nikko. Then why hadn't she dropped Nikko off to Temari? Or Naruto? Why leave her alone?! Whatever the case, he'd have to talk with Sarada later.

"Papa." Nikko said blushing. "Look! I've been practicing! Sarada-nee taught it to me this morning!" On top of that, she re-bleached some of her hair from the constant heat of the flames.

She made the hand seals and let out another fireball. She put in every bit of effort into it and let out one the size of her body. He smiled and put a hand on her head. "That's my girl." He said.

Nikko blushed darkly. "But I can't keep the size. . ." She made a face. She couldn't remember the word so she changed it. "The same. Sometimes they come out really big, sometimes small."

"Ah." Sasuke said as he picked her up. Nikko immediately put her arms around his neck and laid her head tiredly on his shoulder. Taking her bento box with them, he carried her home.

"Is mama mad I wasn't home?" Nikko murmured in his shirt. Sasuke gave a single laugh through his nose.

"Just wait and see." He replied as they spent the rest of the journey home in silence.

* * *

"We're home." Sasuke said when he opened the door. He was sure that one of Naruto's clones had told Sakura that Nikko had been found and that Sasuke was going to get her, but that had not stopped the look of worry that was written all wife's face from creasing deeper when she spotted them.

"Nikko!" Sakura shrieked rushing to the door and grabbed her tight.

"Mama! Squishing!" Nikko replied. And although Sakura had let up from her tight hug, she was too worried to apologise for the tight hug. Her baby had come home from her adventure, with her face all burned! "Your face!" Sakura interjected. "It's all burned!" Her hands began to glow. "What on earth have you been doing?!"

"Becoming a proper Uchiha." Sasuke replied on her behalf, pride in his voice. He blinked when he saw Ino and Temari sitting in the kitchen. Kawauso and Kaoru on their game in the living room.

"By hurting herself?" Sakura asked, not understanding in the moment. Too busy healing her baby girl. "And where was Sarada?! I asked her to watch you until we got back."

"I told her I was fine." Nikko insisted. "Why is Kawauso here?! He should be with his friend having a sleepover!"

"You went missing dummy!" Kawauso replied not missing a beat. "So mama invited the whole village into our house to find you."

"Kawauso!" Ino cooed. "Don't talk to you sister like that!" .To which Kawauso blushed a little. "Sorry Aunt Ino." He replied.

"Ha! Beat you!" Kaoru cried

.

"Wait! No fair!" Kawauso shrieked. "Rematch!"

Nikko blushed and clung to her father. Of all of their friends, Ino scared Nikko the most. She was always so weird around her father and a bit mean to her mother.

"Where were you?" Sakura asked and she finished healing Nikko's cheek. "And what have you been doing?"

"Practicing the fireball!" Nikko replied beaming. "Sara-nee taught it to me." She beamed proudly. Her face fell a little. "I can't keep it. . .con. . .con. . ." She frowned up at her father who nodded, with encouragement. "Consistent." She sounded it out then grinned. Sasuke smiled soft and put a hand on her head. Now that he was used to it, he liked that she had changed her hair to match her mother. It highlighted just how much she looked like his darling wife.

"You'll get there." Sakura praised. "You're our daughter after all."

"A good arm too." Sasuke commented off handedly.

"Eh?" Sakura asked, confused.

"Nothing mama!" Nikko replied quickly. "Is aunt Temari here?!" She asked just as quick, changing the subject. "I thought I heard her voice." Sakura smirked softly and moved so Nikko could rush over and greet her aunt.

Kawauso paused the game. "Can I go back to Uncle Kiba's house now?" He asked his parents. "Kaoru didn't bring anything over to stay."

Sakura turned to her husband. "Anata?" She asked softly.

"Ah." Sasuke replied. "Go." He gave his son a poke when the child rushed over to thank him. "Be good."

"Yes papa." Kawauso replied beaming.

"You gave us all a real scare, Nikko." Temari scolded holding the child on her lap.

"Really?" Nikko asked, amazed. "I thought nothing scared you?" She breathed. Her aunty Tem was a fierce kunoichi. Shikamaru-ji had told her how her Aunty Tem faced against the strongest of bad men and never even flinched. Aunty Tem was as brave as her mama, if not braver. She paused in her thoughts. . . Nah, her mama worked with injured people. That made her more brave.

Sakura watched from the door. Temari was a great babysitter. And she treated the twins like her own. She was there even when Sakura's water broke.

Ino gave a yawn. "Well. . . I'm not needed so I'll go home, see you around Sakura." She said offhandedly, hugged her best friend and with a wink at Sasuke and left the Uchiha home.


	4. Message from the Writer

Hi everyone, I must apologise for no updates lately.

Due to the Corvid thing that is happening, my co-editor and I are unable to co-ordinate to post.

Once we have sorted out our issues we'll update the stories. Hopefully a couple of chapters to make up for the delay.

Thank you for your understanding. The Uchiha Family would wish to remind you to be safe, wash your hands and follow the recommended social distancing methods. ^_^


	5. Chapter 4

_**I apologise for being away for so long. Hopefully I'll be able to post more often. ^_^ Enjoy **_

"Nikko!" Sakura woke her youngest daughter early in the morning. "Nikko wake up sweetheart."

Nikko scrunched her face but did wake up. Her eyes half asleep and full of questions.

"Good girl, Papa and I got called into work early, you have to get dressed and go with him today." Sakura explained putting some clothes on the end of her bed. "Come on." She pulled Nikko out of bed and helped her dress.

"Mmm~" Nikko whined, working on auto-pilot. "Papa?" Not mama?" She asked, her speech slurred with sleep.

"Mama will be in surgery all day, papa will be safer for you." Sakura explained helping her brush her hair. "There, I've put some money into a purse for you and papa today so you both can have breakfast and lunch, Sarada will be back from training and I've asked her to make dinner. Okay?" She knew Nikko wouldn't remember, she was just speaking to herself.

"Mmm. . .okay." Nikko replied with a yawn and trudged out of the room and down the stairs. Sasuke was sitting at the table, hand on cheek. "Papa~" She yawned and climbed on his lap. "Early."

"Hn." Sasuke grumped holding her in his arms. Sakura giggled at them both. Neither her husband nor her daughter were morning people. Peaceful life back at the village had relaxed Sasuke to the point where he could indulge himself with "5 more minutes". Grabbing her house keys, Sakura pressed a kiss on Sasuke's cheek and Nikko's head.

"I'm off." Sakura said quickly as her pager beeped. "Aah!" She cried. "I should've woken you both earlier!" She panicked and ran out of the house.

Nikko waved, a little more awake. "Bye mama." She said to the closed door. Yawning and stretching her arms, and hitting her father on the chin in the process, Nikko slumped on the table. With bleary eyes she took in her living room. Morning sunlight was peeking in through the kitchen window, her last art project was taking up the place of pride on the fridge door, faucet in the sink was dripping once in a long while, and the droplet would briefly refract the light, a wrapped up lunch box sat quite contently on the kitchen counter, Kawasou's jacket was thrown haphazardly on the couch… Wait, lunch box?

Then she gasped. "Papa! Mama's bento is still in the kitchen!" She shook Sasuke's shoulder a little.

"Aah." He replied. "Let's go take it to her on our way out after breakfast" He suggested helping her off his lap. Nikko nodded and

grabbed the lunch box, holding it tight to her chest. Sasuke smiled and nodded as they put on their shoes and left the house to chase after Sakura. He held Nikko in his arms to save time.

"Sakura!"

"Mama!" Nikko and Sasuke yelled together as they reached the hospital just as Sakura made it to the front gates.

"Oh!" Sakura gasped. "My lunch!" She smiled when Nikko jumped from her father's arms and rushed over with the lunch box.

"Mama." Nikko beamed lifting it out to her mother.

"Thank you Nikko, Anata." Sakura replied taking the lunch box and hugged her daughter and smiled at Sasuke. He gave a simple huff through his nose and a small smile.

"Papa." Nikko said pouting.

Sasuke chuckled short, and nodded. "Aah." He replied and gave Sakura a poke to her forehead, which Nikko gave a curt nod too. "Be safe." He whispered to her.

"Yes, dear." Sakura replied and entered the hospital.

"Papa." Nikko asked as she and Sasuke walked down the main street. She didn't like silence, she was too used to Kawauso's constant chatter. He was the more talkative and therefore, she felt, more like their mother. "Where are we going?" She frowned softly. "And why did Mama put me in pants today?"

Sasuke smiled a little to himself before he turned a soft expression to his daughter. "Naruto wants me to check on a farm that had been affected by a plague the Ootsutsuki had released to try and harm us, they found something in a crop that they think is the plague again, so we're going to check it out." He frowned. Boruto's eye could have checked too, but Naruto had strong armed him into it, and to bring Nikko with him. Perhaps he'd heard about the issue at Nikko's school? Ugh, that meddling loser.

"But why us?" Nikko whined. "Isn't there someone else who can do it?" She asked.

Sasuke suppressed a laugh. Perhaps this was why he had been told to bond more with the twins, since he still had missions that required him to leave for months on end. Just like Sarada, he had trouble bonding with Nikko. "Because of my special eye." He said, stopping them to show her. "See?" He lifted up the bang.

Nikko gasped and touched his cheek as she looked at it. "That's the one that sees things even the Sharingan can't, right papa?" She asked, her face and voice displaying amazement. Huh. So she was like Ren too. Neither one seemed to be afraid of his eye like others seemed to be. Kawauso had been afraid of it for months when he was a toddler. Nikko tried to poke it out. She thought it deeply fascinating. He pulled himself back out of his thoughts.

"Ah." Sasuke replied. Just like Sakura. . . And Itachi. . . But as sensitive as Sakura. He'd have to be careful. "Nikko," He started stopping them and crouching to her level. "I'm bringing you with me so you can see if you want to follow your older siblings path."

"I don't want to be Hokage. . ." Nikko replied, making a face. "Naruto-otou-sama is always sleepy and it makes Hima-Onee-chan sad." She looked down. "I want to be like Mama." She declared.

"She helps people. I want to do that too." She rubbed her eyes hard which made Sasuke frown softly. He remembered Sarada telling him that hers had hurt not long before she chased after him during the Shin Incident. Was Nikko's adoration for her mother going to trigger hers?

"Nikko," Sasuke said calmly, getting her attention. "If you follow your mother, you will have to learn ninja skills too."

"Like my Katon!" Nikko beamed proudly.

"Yes." Sasuke replied, trying to keep his patience. "This mission will be simple, I will look over the farm, I want you to observe and look out for anything you think I miss."

"Okay!" Nikko beamed. "Can we go, then?" She continued.

Sasuke stood up and brushed off his knees. "Let's go then." He turned to go, then he felt Nikko's hand take his and he paused, feeling a weird parental feeling that was just as strong as when he saw her make the Katon. He didn't pull away. Perhaps she wanted to stay close so she didn't get lost.

That stab of panic hit him and he held her hand a little tighter. No. So he wouldn't lose her. Not only would his other children be upset, but Sakura would never forgive him. She could forgive his past. . .But losing their child. . . He was sure she'd kill him. And he'd let her.

At that thought, he picked up Nikko and carried her on his hip. "Papa, I can walk!" Nikko complained.

"After what you did yesterday?" Sasuke snapped a little too aggressively.

"Papa. . ." Nikko replied, tears in her eyes.

Oh god. . . "No. . . Nikko." Sasuke said and pulled her close. "I'm sorry." He whispered, clutching her tight. "That's not what I meant." Maybe he shouldn't have-

"I didn't mean to make you worry!" Nikko said before he could add more. "I just wanted to get it right to show you and Mama." She hiccuped. The memories of him wanting to master and perfect the Katon to show his own father, flashed before his eyes. The level of understanding that her simple explanation had put in him made his panicked aggression dissolve into fond feelings.

Sasuke nodded. "I know. . .I know." He whispered as he continued to walk, god people were staring at them now. "You can walk when we're out of the main village." He said. "So it will be easier for me to watch."

"Okay," Nikko replied, her arms snaking to hold his shoulders. She took the chance to nap.

Sasuke didn't put Nikko down when they left the village like he had said he would, no, instead, when he found she was asleep in his arms he let her continue. She wasn't yet used to waking up so early. And being young she needed all the sleep she could get. But eventually they did get close enough to the farm that carrying her to the start of their mission wouldn't be appropriate. "Nikko." He said jostling her until she woke.

"Hnn." Nikko replied with a yawn. She rubbed her eyes. "Itchy." She mumbled as Sasuke put her down.

"Sakura will fix it when we get home." Sasuke stated plainly, perhaps it was just allergies. Did his children have those? Oh god. . .What if Nikko was allergic to something and he didn't know?! Perhaps he should have taken Sakura's book. . .

_Now you haven't spent much time with Nikko since she was really little so I made you a book of things you should know just in case something happens. . ._

_Sakura, I don't need a book I'll be fine. She's just a kid, not some spoiled princess. . . _

Oh god how he'd been wrong. "Papa?" Nikko asked frowning. "Papa, are you okay?" She pushed on his belly. "Did you eat a bad thing?"

"Ah!" Sasuke took Nikko's hands. "No, I am fine." He said quickly. "Tell me if you start to get sick or anything." He half said half ordered. Calm. Emotionless. He had to treat this like any other mission.

"Ah! Sasuke-san!" The older male farmer greeted them, his head popping up from the field of wheat. "You're early." He beamed and waded through the last few feet of wheat to greet the man. "Who is this?"

"I'm Nikko!" Nikko replied, taking her father's hand tight.

"My daughter." Sasuke explained.

"I see, I see." The Farmer replied. "Come, the problem is this way." He urged them.

"He seems nervous." Nikko whispered. "Like that time Kawauso put the towels down the toilet." She made a face. "Or when Mama caught Ren with Icha-Icha-"

"He what?" Sasuke asked, his face dark. He and Ren were going to have a talk when Ren got back from his mission. But what Nikko had observed was true. The Farmer looked spooked, as if something more than his field was bothering him. So he looked over the Wheat, checking for anything wrong. He probed with his chakra. Nothing. But now that Nikko had pointed it out, he couldn't shake the feeling something was wrong. That this below Genin level mission was about to go into Jonin level. And he didn't like that gut feeling.

Sasuke viewed the area that had been affected by what seemed like a normal insect issue, but the blackened edges of the damage was a little worrying. So he checked it over in more detail.

Nikko sniffed the wheat, it almost smelt like home, when her Mama made porridge for breakfast. She smiled and sniffed as many as she could, until she got to the diseased wheat and frowned. It smelled like Ren's bedroom the day before Sakura would get sick of it and clean it while he was out. "Is it supposed to smell like Ren's butt?" Nikko asked snapping Sasuke out of his thoughts.

"No." Sasuke replied, smirking. Really? Ren's butt? He thought. His child had no filter. He took a withered stalk and sniffed it. Yes, Nikko was right, it did smell horrible.

Nikko nodded. "I'll go get a sample from far on the other side you get one from here, Mama can check it out when she's free!" Nikko suggested rushing over to the far corner of the field where they'd entered and put a piece of Wheat stalk into a container she'd brought along.

Sasuke hadn't even had a chance to protest before Nikko had run off. She was so much like her mother-

A sudden stillness spiked Sasuke's senses. And the Farmer had gone.

As he pushed out his Chakra, Nikko screamed.

"Papa!"

"Nikko!" Sasuke roared, turning toward his daughter's cry. A cold rage covered him the likes of which he'd not felt since his teenage years. The nin who had his daughter became his target. He no longer cared about the wheat, or the Farmer. His world narrowed. Save Nikko. Kill the enemy.


End file.
